Difference Between Primary and Secondary Storage
Below are the difference between primary and secondary storage.
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Primary Storage |
Secondary Storage |
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Primary memory also known as the main and the internal memory. |
Secondary memory is also Known as the external or auxiliary memory. |
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Data is directly accessed by the processing unit. |
Data is first transferred to the main memory and then routed to the processing unit. |
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The primary memory inside the computer use small chips are called the semiconductor chips to store the information and data. |
Secondary memory devices like the hard drives and CDs/DVDs use magnetic disks or optical disks to store data and files for long term. |
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Information stored is temporary and it can be lost or deleted when there is a sudden power cut or no electricity. |
Information stored is permanent in secondary storage unless anyone delete it intentionally. |
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Data is operated and stored in a uniform manner. |
The data stored is not uniform in secondary memory. |
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Primary memory devices are more expensive than secondary storage devices. |
Secondary memory devices are less expensive when compared to primary memory devices. |
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The nature of parts of primary memory varies. RAM- volatile. ROM- non-volatile. |
It is a little slow in interacting with a microprocessor. |
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Primary memory has limited storage capacity. |
Whereas secondary memory can store built amounts of data in a single unit. |
Primary Storage Device
A primary storage device is where the computer temporarily stores the data that is actively using or working with. It provides quick access to the information the computer needs right now. In this article, we will discuss primary storage device in detail.